


Smile Lines

by Devildream69



Category: Tru Love (2013)
Genre: Age Difference, Angst, F/F, Fix-It, Fluff and Angst, Lesbians, Love, Older Woman/Younger Woman, Romance, Tru Love (the movie), because seriously, fuck that, let there be love and light in their lives I say, not all older women /younger women relationships end with the older partner dying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-31
Updated: 2015-08-11
Packaged: 2018-04-12 04:31:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4465523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Devildream69/pseuds/Devildream69
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alice has returned to North-Bay and over a month has elapsed since Tru last saw her. Now, Tru is finally going up for a visit. One that will help determine the shape their lives to come.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Author's note: This is definitely a "fix-it" fic. Because I honestly could not bear the thought of this wonderful couple being torn apart so soon and so unjustly. I adored Tru Love, but I couldn't stand the way they ended it. So this happened. Enjoy!

_"Winter must be cold for those with no warm memories." - Deborah Kerr, "An Affair To Remember" (1957)_

 

It had been a month. One long, slow, month of phone calls and wistful sighing on both sides of the telephone line. It had been difficult for both of them, Tru mused.

Alice was lonely in her big house in Northbay.

She saw friends and she did her volunteer work with the local drama group. She tried her best to keep busy, and she never complained, but Tru could hear it in her voice. The loneliness that creeps up on a person when they are lacking emotional support.

Tru’s own chest began to ache at the thought of how long it had been since she’d seen Alice. Thirty-one days. Tru sighed and checked the time on her phone again. The train should be arriving soon.

Alice had said she’d be at the train station waiting for her. She pictured seeing Alice’s blonde head of curls in a crowd, craning her neck, searching for her, as people got off onto the platform.

She smiled, and glanced out the window at the scenery of trees, houses and wet pavement. Grey and white were the predominant colours and they blurred together slightly as the train sped past. Soon, the snow would be completely melted, thank goodness. She longed for green grass and leaves on the trees. The clouds parted for just a moment, letting a beam of sun touch the window and graze Tru’s face, before it was gone just as swiftly as it had come.

She leaned her head against the back of the seat.

She remembered the time she and Alice had sat on the couch and talked of her childhood. How Alice had innocently taken her hand in hers and traced the scars on her forearm and wrist. She hadn’t been judging Tru for them. She was just letting her fingers touch the raised skin gently as though she wanted to brush the marks away.

Tru sighed again and pulled out her new cook book which she’d splurged on for the long train ride up to Northbay. She focused her attentions on learning how to make a ‘ _Tarte aux Fraises’_ according to Julia Child’s _Mastering the Art of French Cooking_.

There was only about an hour left till the train arrived at its destination and she was getting more and more tense by the minute. A whole month had gone by since they had seen each other, touched each other. Tru bit her bottom lip distractedly. She hadn’t expected to miss Alice as much as she had.

 

***

 

The train slowed and the people around Tru began to pack up whatever they had pulled out for the long 8 hour ride, tucking laptops and books away distractedly. There was a sense of collective relief at being able to stand up and stretch with the anticipation of getting off the train and heading to wherever it was they were headed.

Tru quickly followed suit by put her cook book away and slung her duffle bag over her shoulder filled with a set of overnight clothes. The rest of her things were in her old beaten up suitcase, which she grabbed from the overhead storage.

She felt her chest tighten, imagining Alice on the platform waiting for. Her hands were shaking slightly. Soon. She would see her soon.

She passed a hand through her dark hair and tried to get it look like she hadn’t just slept on a train, without much success. People were starting to move in the direction of the exit, at a snail’s pace. She followed the line down and out of the train. Then she moved down into the wider area of the platform and began to look for Alice.

She stood on her toes to look over the crowd, but she wasn’t exactly tall so it didn’t help much.

She glanced around for a moment longer, and then another moment. She couldn’t see her. Doubt flickered into her mind and she thought, _‘Maybe she got held up. Maybe she couldn’t come. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea…Too many maybes.’_ she held back a sigh and kept searching. Then she felt a hand on her shoulder and she spun around so fast she nearly fell over.

Alice was there, a wide smile touching her mouth and there was a mischievous glint in those grey-blue eyes of hers. “Alice!” Tru gasped. Alice took her hand and squeezed it gently.

“Hello darling.” She said, and leaned in for an air kiss, which Tru clumsily reciprocated. She was wearing her usual perfume, and she was so close and real and all of a sudden Tru felt overwhelmed with the need to feel her close.

She wrapped her arms around Alice’s waist unthinkingly and hugged her. Alice was startled but put her arms around Tru’s shoulders regardless.

“I missed you,” She murmured into Alice’s blonde curls. “I missed you so much.”

“So did I.” She patted Tru’s shoulder.

She pulled back first and Tru felt vaguely embarrassed by her actions. It had been a while since they’d been together. Maybe she should take it a bit more slowly. The last thing she wanted was for Alice to get annoyed at her for being _clingy_. She cringed internally. She was never clingy. But then, this was Alice and very few of Tru’s rules applied when it came to her.

 _‘Ugh’_ she thought and suppressed the need to roll her eyes at herself.

“Are you hungry?” Alice asked and took her duffle bag off her shoulder, despite Tru trying to protest. Alice gave her a reproving look and Tru lifted one eyebrow but shrugged and let her do as she pleased.

“Yes, actually. I didn’t eat on the train.”

“Hmm well. We’ll have to remedy that situation won’t we?” Alice said and began leading the way out of the train station. She took Tru’s free hand again, apparently not caring who saw.

“I have dinner ready at home.” She continued.

“Oh really?” Tru glanced at Alice curiously. She nodded, still smiling.

“Yes.” She murmured. She searched Tru’s face for a moment then said, “Oh, I’m so glad you’re here.” She reached out and brushed a lock of hair out of her face.

“Me too.” Tru smiled.

“C’mon.” Alice said and tugged her in the direction of the parking lot.

***

 

Alice shut the door behind them and Tru quickly removed her boots. Her first impression of the house was that it was much bigger than her one bedroom one living room house in Toronto. Tru felt Alice’s hands grip her coat and help her shrug out of it. Alice had already taken hers off. She hung them deftly in the closet.

Tru hesitated in the doorway. She glanced around the hall, taking in the paintings and the expensive carpet. She’d known Alice was well off, but she hadn’t really realised….just how well off. Tru suddenly felt inadequate. She thought of her little house and her small world and felt even smaller in it.

She looked down at her feet and bit the inside of her cheek. Now was not the time to let her misgivings spoil their time together.

Alice went down the hall way, and said, “I’ll reheat dinner for you.”

She glanced at the time on her phone and saw that it was nearly 7:30pm. Alice must have eaten earlier.

“You can leave your bag at the foot of the stair. I’ll show you your room later.” Alice called from down the hall. Tru hesitated, feeling a bit intimidated by her unfamiliar surroundings.

“Are you coming?” She asked, poking her head out of what appeared to be the kitchen.

Tru chuckled and said, “Yes. I’m starving. What’s for dinner?”

 

 

***

 

 

After eating a meal of _saumon au beurre blanc_ _et asperge_ , they went to sit on the couch, a glass of white wine in hand.

Alice had put some old French jazz music on and it was playing softly in the background. The sun had well and truly set now, and the wind outside was making the tree branches shake.

They sat facing each other, neither speaking for a moment. Tru looked away feeling self-conscious when Alice began to scrutinise her worriedly.

“Is something wrong darling?” she asked quietly. Tru looked up to see that Alice’s eyebrows had creased and she seemed tensed for an answer she might not want to hear.

“What?” she asked feigning surprise. “No of course not Alice.”

Alice reached out and gripped her hand in hers. “Please don’t.”

“Don’t what?” Tru asked, and it came out sounding harsher than she’d intended. She shut her eyes briefly before looking at Alice apologetically.

“Don’t push me away.” Alice murmured. She brushed her thumb over Tru’s knuckles soothingly.

Tru felt her throat tighten and she swallowed hard, trying to stop the burn in the back of her nose from spreading to her eyes. It still amazed her that she could cry for Alice but not for anyone else. But she didn’t want to cry right now. Not today. So she blinked and tried and smile, though she was sure it looked awful.

Alice cupped her cheek and let her thumb graze her cheekbone hard.

“I—” she tried, the shook her head. “Really Alice, it’s nothing.”

Then the frown fell from Alice’s face and her face became blank, save for the grim set to her mouth. She let go of Tru’s face and stood up.

She went into the kitchen and Tru heard her dump the contents of her wine glass in the sink and begin to wash the dishes. The dishes clattered a bit too loudly. Tru winced and pressed a hand over her eyes.

 _‘God. I’m such and idiot.’_ She thought.

Alice was upset. And it was her fault.

Tru took a deep breath then exhaled. She put her glass of wine down on the coffee table and stood up.

She came into the kitchen, and saw Alice’s back with her sleeves rolled up to her elbow, scrubbing away at the dishes before putting them into the washing machine. She stood there for a minute. Watching her work, her gestures tight, precise and her shoulders tense.

“I’m sorry.” Tru whispered. Alice didn’t turn around but she stopped moving. She saw her heave a sigh, her hands clenched on the edge of the sink.

“I’m sorry…I—”

Alice turned around and there was a watery gleam in her eyes.

“I can’t help you, if you won’t talk to me.” She sighed frustratedly. Tru shook her head again. How could she tell her? How could she say to this beautiful, _rich_ , woman that she couldn’t possibly be enough, couldn’t give her enough?

Alice went to sit at the kitchen island, in one of the high chairs and leaned her face into her hands for moment. Then she brushed her hair out of her face and looked at Tru, her expression pained. Tru bit her bottom lip, before coming around the island to stand beside her.

She put a hand on Alice’s shoulder and Alice placed her hand over hers. She turned in the high chair to face Tru.

“Please just tell me Tru.” Alice murmured, not looking at Tru’s face.

“You’re rich.” Tru blurted out before she could censure herself. Alice froze before looking at her incredulously. Her eyes widened, before a helpless smile and a disbelieving laugh broke out of her.

“What?” she gasped through the laughter. “That’s–” she began, but Tru let go her hand and turned to walk back towards the living room.

“Darling—” she tried. But Tru didn’t turn around.

Alice followed her back into the living room and saw that Tru had sat down on the couch again and wasn’t looking at her.

She came to sit beside her again. “I shouldn’t have laughed.” Alice sighed apologetically. “But I was just so relieved, I—”

“Relieved?” Tru snapped her head back to look at Alice. She nodded and curled her legs up on the couch and wrapped her linked hands on her knee.

“I thought you regretted coming to see me.” She murmured, looking at the bookcase behind Tru instead of at her face.

“What?” Tru gasped, feeling even worse now. “No! God, no.”

Alice looked at her doubtfully.

“Oh Alice.” Tru sighed, “No, I’m glad I’m here it’s just…”

“I’m rich.”

Tru nodded, grinding her teeth together. She felt pathetic, and ridiculous.

“And you are not.” Alice continued, judging her expressions carefully as she spoke.

Again Tru nodded reluctantly. “I didn’t think it would bother you.” Alice said after another minute of silence.

“I can’t—” she paused, and took a deep breath. “I can’t give you anything like this Alice.”

“Darling, I don’t need you to.”

“I know.” Tru said after a long moment, and passed a hand through her hair.

Alice smiled hesitantly. She held out her hand to Tru and said, “C’mere.”

Tru eyed the hand but took it nonetheless. She let Alice guide her so that she was leaning against her frame, and Alice wrapped an arm around her waist.

“This isn’t really mine you know.”

Tru frowned, confused. “What do you mean it’s not yours?”

“It’s Richard’s money.” Alice said, bitterness seeping into her tone, “I’m a retired drama teacher. I didn’t make much money. The house was his, and nearly everything in it too.”

“Oh.” Tru said, at a loss for words.

“Yes, _oh_.” Alice replied sardonically. “I inherited it, of course, but that doesn’t really make it mine.”

Tru said nothing, feeling like an idiot even more now. She shouldn’t have freaked out. Alice didn’t need to be looked after, not in that way. She didn’t think Tru had nothing to offer. She wanted her, for her. It was going to take her a while to get used to that idea.

“Wow.” Tru said finally. “I fucked up big time.”

Alice chuckled and Tru felt her body shake.

“So. Was that was our first fight?” She asked ironically.

Tru turned to look at her. “Or our second misunderstanding?” She let her words imply a question.

Alice smirked and shook her head. “Incorrigible, that’s what we are.”

It was Tru’s turn to chuckle and purse her lips teasingly.

Alice pressed a kiss to her temple, and Tru started. Then Alice pulled back and said, “Let’s get you settled in.” Her voice had deepened and was thick with implication now.

Tru lifted one eye brow and Alice merely smiled like the cat who ate the canary.

-TBC-


	2. Chapter 2

  
  
Alice took her hand and led her up the stairs and down a long hallway.

Tru was carrying her suitcase and Alice had taken her duffle bag again. She opened the door to the left at the end, and they went into a bedroom with a queen sized bed and large windows facing the back of the house, looking out onto the backyard. There was a large closet partially open and filled with clothes. There was an on-suite bathroom. On the bedside table there was a laptop and a pile of well used books and a lamp. Finally Tru realised that this was not a guest bedroom.

“I hope you don’t mind, but seeing as you’re only here for three days, I wanted you close.” Alice blushed a bit, not looking at Tru as she spoke. She placed the duffle on the bed and went to close the curtains on the big windows.

Tru stepped behind her, placed her arms around her waist and leaned her head against Alice’s shoulder. Alice held her arms there, and Tru relished the feel of her in her arms.

 _‘I’m happy.’_ Tru thought, despite her best efforts. _‘Really, I am.’_ But that didn’t stop her from being afraid. And, oh, she was. She was terrified of losing this, and of how much she needed Alice’s lighthearted joy.

Tru tried to picture what Alice was to her in her mind and all she could imagine was a warm golden glow of happiness. She wanted to roll her eyes at her own sentimentality but the truth remained. The pair stayed where they were for a long moment.

“I heard you, you know… that last day.” Alice said seemingly out of nowhere. Tru lifted her head to look at her.

“What?” she asked perplexed.

“The day I left in the taxi.” Alice murmured, turning her head slightly. “I heard you say you loved me.”

Tru blinked and swallowed hard. _‘Oh God.’_ She thought. She’d thought for sure Alice hadn’t heard her. She’d never mentioned anything over the phone.

The words had come out of her mouth without her really intending it too. But the worst had been the realisation that upon closer examination, she thought she had meant it, even having only known Alice for such a short while.

Nevertheless it was all happening very quickly.

When Tru couldn’t find the words, Alice smiled weakly and said, “It’s alright. We aren’t in any hurry are we?”

Tru managed a smile and nodded. She stepped out of Tru’s embrace and sat on the bed.

“I bet you’d like a shower.” Alice proposed glancing at the door behind her.

“God yes.” Tru said a bit breathless.

“I’ll get you a towel. Feel free to hang your clothes in the closet. I made a space for you.” She said, gesturing towards it.

“Thank you.” She said without thinking and then winced at how formal it had sounded. Alice merely smiled and went into the hall, presumably to fetch a towel. Tru bit her lip and looked around for a moment before riffling through her duffel and pulling out her bag of toiletries. A shower sounded like heaven at the moment.

Alice came back with a small smile and handed her a white towel. Tru smiled back briefly before heading to the bathroom, towel in hand. She shut the door behind her. She leaned her head against the panel and shut her eyes inhaling deeply. _‘God.’_ She thought. She was tired.

The train ride had been a long one and she was eager to wash off the grim of the road, so to speak.

She turned around and examined the shower faucet before turning it on and waiting for the water to run warm.

 

***

 

After a hot shower, Tru felt much better. But now she was faced with a dilemma. She’d forgotten to bring her PJ’s into the bathroom with her. Her only options were to go out in only a towel and the skin she was born in or ask Alice to riffle through her duffle bag and grab them for her. She suppressed a groan.

She glanced at herself in the mirror. _‘Well,’_ she mused, _‘it’s not like Alice hasn’t seen me before.’_

With that in mind she wrapped the towel around her chest and waist covering a modest amount of skin, while leaving her legs largely bare.

She glanced down at her thighs, grimacing at the old cut lines there, glaring against her pale skin accusingly. She didn’t know if Alice had seen them before. She might have, but the last time she had been quite so bare, had been that last night, and they had been fairly rushed, and overwhelmed with emotion.

If Alice had seen that she had scars there too, she hadn’t mentioned it. She pushed away her misgivings before reaching for the door handle.

 

***

 

She opened the door, only to find that the room’s light had been turned off, save for a bedside lamp and a scented candle burning on the side table. Alice was curled up in bed, reading a book, a pair of reading glasses Tru had never seen before, perched on her nose.

Alice glanced up from her reading and her eyes widened a bit before glancing away and turning noticeably pink. Tru tried to suppress a smirk without much success.                                              

“Sorry I took so long.”

“Oh um, don’t worry about it.” Alice managed still not looking at her.

“What book are you reading?” Tru asked, glancing at the book in question.

Alice smiled a bit and said, “Oh I’m just re-reading _To the Lighthouse_ , you know, the Virginia Woolf novel.”

Tru reached for her duffle bag and began to pull out her pajamas, while trying to hold on to the towel. She could see Alice looking her over every few seconds.

“Isn’t that the one with the lesbians in it?” She looked up from her bag and tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear. From the crouched over position, Tru was showing quite a bit of cleavage. Alice had noticed. She swallowed hard.

“Um, well, yes. Some scholars have read it that way. And Virginia Woolf was said to have lesbian lovers too. Did you know that?” Alice asked, now searching Tru’s face. She tugged off her reading glasses and placed them on the bedside table.

“Really? I didn’t know.” She murmured.

The mood of the room had shifted. Tru was watching Alice, and she knew, Alice was watching her. She stopped what she was doing and came over around the other side of the bed, to stand besides Alice.

She took the book form Alice’s hands and placed it on the bedside table.

Alice looked up at her, smiling hesitantly. Tru lifted her free hand to cup Alice’s face. She bent down for a kiss.

At the first brush of lips, Alice gasped, “ _Oh,_ ” against Tru’s mouth.

At first it was slow and gentle. Then Alice began to kiss her back, intently. She felt Alice’s lips tremble slightly against her own.

Tru kissed the corner of her mouth, then her jaw and the place behind her ear that made her inhale sharply.

Alice reached up and turned Tru’s face back, so that their mouths could meet again. Tru kissed her back hungrily. Alice responded in kind, lacing her fingers in Tru’s dark wet hair, and bringing her arm up around her waist, trying to bring her closer.

But Tru could only bend so far and she pulled back for a moment. She tugged down the blankets covering Alice’s legs. She let go of her towel, ignoring Alice’s gasp as it dropped to the floor, and straddled her thighs in a few deft movements.

She tried not be self-conscious of the fact that she alone was fully naked while Alice was still mostly covered in her grey satin pajamas. Tru picked up Alice’s trembling hands and placed them on her hips. She let her arms slide around Alice’s neck and kissed her softly. Once, twice, indulging in her mouth, taking her time. Because for once, they had time.

It had been a month, a whole long, damned month, since she’d had Alice like this.

 _“God.”_ Tru breathed when Alice began kissing her neck and shoulders. Her hands were gripping her hip bones tightly, not quite daring to venture further. She was suddenly frustrated by the fabric between her and Alice and her fingers moved to the buttons of Alice’s top, unbuttoning swiftly, needing to feel her closer.

Alice gasped quietly, and Tru kissed her into silence once more before finishing her task. She pushed the satin chemise down over her shoulders, tugging it off, slowly. Alice’s hands moved up her waist, fingers never leaving her skin, until she reached Tru’s shoulders and gripped more tightly, trying to bring her closer.

Tru obliged, scooting closer, and Alice kissed her collar bone, moving up to her neck, and surprised Tru by nipping gently as she did so.

She moved to her jawline and then back to Tru’s mouth and the kiss started gently. Quickly it turned into a desperate tangle of lips and tongue, trying to feed the deep seated hunger that had been brought on by the starvation of a month without touch.

Alice gripped Tru’s waist with one arm and swiftly rolled them so that Tru was on her back, beneath her, on the bed. Tru made a startled squeaking noise and Alice smirked, entirely too pleased with herself for Tru’s peace of mind.

Tru chuckled and smiled back at the woman above her. Then her hands found the waist band of Alice’s pants and pushed it down. Alice shifted her weight in order to help Tru rid her off them and then, in the dim light, they were both very much in the buff.

Tru smiled slowly, admiring the shape of Alice’s body, not young, but still undeniably beautiful.

Alice was glancing at Tru’s face, with an expression that Tru thought might be concern. Then Tru frowned slightly. Was she self-conscious about her body? Her age maybe? She watched Alice for a second longer then realised she was probably right in her guess.

 _‘Oh,’_ Tru thought, _‘No, that won’t do at all.’_

Tru leaned up on her elbows and kissed Alice soundly, removing the worried look from her features for a moment before pulling back, only to see it still firmly in place.

“You are so beautiful.” Tru whispered. “So beautiful.” She repeated.

Alice scoffed before she could stop herself.

“You are, Alice.” Tru repeated more forcefully.

Alice searched her face, for signs that Tru was simply placating her but found none. Finally after another moment of thought, Alice whispered, “You’re not rich and I’m not young. Surely this is some kind of cosmic cliché.”

Tru snorted a laugh and Alice couldn’t help but smile back.

Then, there was a quiet moment again and Tru was watching the smile fall off Alice’s face.

“What do see when you look at me?” Alice whispered, her voice strained. She leaned down and pressed the whole of her body against Tru’s own. Flesh against flesh, both women sighed contentedly. In the dimmed room and the tingling air, it didn’t seem that the question was odd, even though Tru knew it was.

“You, of course.” She murmured, with a small shrug.

“No, well, yes, but I meant—” she paused.

“Why do I think you’re beautiful?” Tru supplied when words seemed to fail her. Alice opened her mouth as if to deny that it was at the root of her insecure question, but then closed it, and nodded, blushing, embarrassed.

“Your eyes caught my attention, when I met you. Grey-blue eyes.” Tru recalled that she’d been surprised to see a startling amount of kindness, mixed with a healthy dose of mischievousness. “I thought you were an interesting woman, when you flat out called me ‘the lesbian’ not two minutes after walking through the door.”

Alice chuckled and said, “My eyes? You like them?”

“Mhmm.” Tru sighed. She lifted a hand and cupped Alice’s cheek which she leaned into, closing her eyes with a sigh.

“And your mouth.” Tru continued, and Alice opened her eyes. “I love your mouth. So much expression.” Tru finished that sentence and kissed said mouth. Alice shut her eyes and shivered as Tru’s tongue flicked against her bottom lip before tugging gently with her teeth and soothing it away with another firm kiss. Alice moaned quietly into Tru’s mouth.

Tru’s hands which had been resting on Alice’s waist, slid down to her next subject of conversation and said, “Your hips... God Alice,” She gasped and Alice kissed down towards her chest, “At the restaurant, that first night, you wore that black dress and it hugged your hips just right.”

When Alice had come back to the table from the bathroom that night, she’d practically sauntered to the table, though Tru doubted Alice had been aware of it. She’d attributed it to a good atmosphere and two glasses of wine at the time.

Tru remembered thinking that no one should be allowed to move so sensuously without meaning to. She’d even seen a few of the other patrons, glancing at Alice appreciatively. Not that Tru hadn’t been doing just that.

Tru was dragged out of her musing when Alice’s hand cupped her breast and she gasped sharply. Her back arched into that touch and she looked down at Alice who was looking up at her from under her lashes. Alice ran her lips along the edge of Tru’s breast as she did so and Tru’s eyes shut and she bit back a groan.

She ground her teeth together and caught Alice’s wrist. Tru quickly captured the other wrist and then, not giving Alice a chance to protest, she rolled them over, pinning Alice’s wrists down on the mattress above her head. Alice was panting and flushed beneath her, her eyes glazed.

“My turn,” Tru growled beside her ear and Alice gasped. True gave her a slow smirk which made Alice blush even more.

 

***

 

Tru woke up to the sound of a coffee grinder, sometime mid-morning she guessed by the look of the sun outside. She was decidedly alone in bed this morning and was sorely tempted to pull up the covers and fall back into sleep, but the thought of having coffee with Alice was too enticing to pass up.

She sat up and reached over the edge of the bed for her duffle bag, and decided she would get dressed, get cleaned up then head downstairs. She hunted through her bag for a second, worried she’d forgotten her tooth brush but found it and sighed relieved. She headed to the bathroom and turned on the tap. She caught sight of herself in the mirror and decided she was definitely pulling comb through her hair before going down.

 

***

 

“Good morning darling,” Alice called behind her, not turning around from her task.

“Morning.” Tru said through a yawn. “When did you wake up?” she asked, eyeing the pile of still hot pancakes. Her eyes widened seeing Alice standing in front of the stove, the coffee pot thrumming on the counter.

“Oh around eight this morning.” Alice replied, glancing at her with a smile.

“You let me sleep in.” Tru said, teasingly. It was 10am. She certainly had let Tru have a lie in.

“You know, I think this is the first time you’ve cooked for me?” She said, sitting at the high chair. What Tru didn’t say was that this was the first time since her mother had died that someone had made a homemade breakfast for her. Her aunt and uncle weren’t exactly the homemade breakfast types. Never mind her cousin, she thought, and felt her stomach churn.

She pushed those thoughts away.

“Well it was about time, don’t you think?” Alice quipped, as she moved the bacon off the hot element.

The phone rang on the kitchen counter then, making Tru jump a bit.

Alice said, “I’m sorry, would you mind?” She gestured towards the pan. Tru didn’t have much to do, just take the bacon out and pour out the left over grease.

“Oh good morning darling,” Alice said into the phone, her voice strained. Tru put the pan down and turned around to frown at Alice curiously.

Alice mouthed, _‘Suzanne.’_

Tru’s eyes widened. She had very studiously made sure to avoid mentioning she was visiting Alice this weekend. _‘Oh God.’_ She thought, and as if on cue, Suzanne’s voice rose on the other end of the phone. It was so loud Tru could catch a few words,

“Is _she_ there? I swear to God mother—”

“ _Yes,_ Suzanne she’s here.” Alice cut her off, and her voice dropped low, and furious.

Tru blinked. She’d never heard Alice when she was angry before.

She hopped she would never hear that voice directed at her. As a matter of fact, usually, she loved Alice’s voice. She suspected that Alice used to smoke, and that was why her voice had a gravelly quality to it, nothing overdone or unpleasant. In fact quite the opposite. She tried to supress a smirk, remembering what exactly that voice had been doing last night.

She turned back to the plate with the bacon and picked it up to put it on the serving island.

“Darling as much as I appreciate your _concern_ , it is misplaced.” Alice growled, “Now, breakfast is getting cold. Bye now.”

“No—wait I—” Tru heard Suzanne protest but Alice hit the end call button anyways.

She looked up from the phone to see Tru looking at her worriedly. The coffee pot beeped and Alice gave her a weak smile.

They hadn’t talked about her daughter’s dislike for their relationship. They’d skirted around the subject like dead mouse on the floor, avoiding it at all costs, save to mention that it was indeed there in their lives.

“So.” Alice said, “Are you hungry?”

“Starving.” Tru said, glad that the moment had passed.

“I have real maple syrup for the pancakes.” Alice said cheekily. “It really is so much better than all that faux cornstarch stuff.”

“Oh yum.” Tru said smiling, sitting down at the island once more.

“How do you take your coffee?” Alice asked heading to the pot which was on the counter behind Tru’s chair.

“Just milk.” Tru replied. As Alice moved to go past her chair, she caught Alice’s hand with a hesitant smile and tugged her in for a gentle kiss.

“Oh,” Alice breathed. “I could get used to that in the morning.”

“Good morning,” Tru repeated, giving her another peck before releasing her.

 

***

 

“So what else is on the menu today?” Tru asked, after placing the last dish back in the cabinet. Alice had protested against Tru helping her do the dishes but she had ignored her.

Alice had been humming while she did so, and the Bose speaker system had been playing Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald while Tru washed and Alice dried and put away.

“Hmm?” Alice sighed “Oh I thought we could go to the bakery and get some bread and then maybe watch a movie and have a night in. We could also stop by the farmer’s market and the butcher’s place and we could make your boeuf bourguignon again. You really need to write that recipe down for me.”

“Alright, I will,” Tru agreed, “And that sounds prefect.”

Alice smiled and said, “Well, we had better get ready.”

 

***

“Let’s stop for a cup of tea at the Cornerstone Café. We can leave the groceries in the car for a few minutes without it going bad.” Alice said and Tru nodded. They’d spent the day, dreary and cold, walking about town from store to store, sometimes holding hands, sometimes not.

Alice parked the car in the large parking lot across the street and led Tru to a small café that was very literally on a corner of the street and whose outer façade had been done in stone. They went in and Tru couldn’t supress a smile at the old 1950’s diner style of the place.

A young waitress, perhaps 17, 18 years old, who knew Alice said, “Hello Mrs. Beacon,” in a bright voice, “Would you like your usual window seat?”

“Yes, Camille, thank you.” Alice said returning the smile.

Alice guided the way to one of the two large window seats, in which Tru could read backwards, the advertised, “Homemade baking,” and “Ice-cream Milkshakes.” Along with the customary red light “OPEN” sign. They sat down in the booth, and opened the menu.

Tru said nothing but in truth she was surprised that Alice frequented this place. It was certainly not a high end location, nor was it a specialty shop of any kind.

“I’ve been coming here since I was a girl.” She was looking out the window, at the grey scenery, with patches of snow and yellowed grass peeking through. “Since before I married Richard. They still make the best milkshakes in the world.”

Tru blinked. Sometimes, she thought Alice could read her mind.

Then the waitress came over with a menu and then Alice ordered a pot of black tea. It arrived swiftly and Tru gratefully took a cup between her hands to warm them. Early April was very cold in Northbay. It couldn’t be over 5 degrees Celsius outside. There was still a bit of morning frost clinging to the corners of the window. But the sun would melt it away, eventually.

“Were you born here?” Tru asked, sipping at the warm liquid.

Alice put her cup down and said, “Yes, I was…I always wanted to leave it though.”

“Why didn’t you?”

“Tru.” Alice paused and sighed heavily. “Do you remember when you asked, why I got married, at the restaurant, I—” she paused, not sure how to continue whatever she was trying to say.

“What is it Alice?” she said with a frown.

“It was a shot gun wedding. I was 18.” Alice said in a rush. “Richard he…he never wanted to marry me. My parents made him.” Alice shrugged with a bitter smile on her mouth.

“Oh Alice.” Tru murmured. She could see the gleam in her eyes that hadn’t been there before.

“I thought you deserved to know.” She said, and her voice was choked slightly.

Tru reached out and took Alice’s hand in her own, squeezing gently.

“I never…I never loved him. I tried. God knows, I tried to but he was so… _so cruel.”_

“Did he hurt you?” Tru asked all of a sudden realising it could very well have happened.

Alice shook her head. “No. Not physically. But he was continuously angry. Until the very last he was cursing out the people who had supposedly wronged him. And I— I was never allowed any freedom.”

Tru shut her eyes and ground her teeth. Alice may not have been hit, but she had been abused. Tru knew exactly what it was like to be yelled at, restricted, and caged, by those who were supposed to love you.

“I’m so sorry Alice.”

“No please. I don’t need pity Tru. I just wanted to tell you the truth.”

Tru nodded, and Alice let go of her hand with a weak smile.

They finished the pot of tea, treading through lighter topics, such as Tru’s new job. Gray had gotten her a place at a bakery on Dalhousie and she was learning a lot. She was doing well. She was even considering taking classes at the college to help her become an official pastry chef.

Alice seemed pleased that Tru was doing well. Alice did volunteering at the high school and had an extracurricular drama club in association with the school. It kept her busy enough or so she said but Tru had trouble believing her. The pot was empty and the groceries had to be put in the refrigerator, despite the temperature outside keeping the car relatively cool.

They paid the bill and drove home.

Alice put an Edith Piaff CD in and they listened to it as Alice drove down the winding streets and the grey clouds above them sped by.

 

***

They sat on the couch as the credits of “An Affair to Remember” rolled on the TV screen. Alice was curled against Tru’s frame and drowsy from a few glasses of wine.

The day had spoken of a forbidden promise. A whisper in the back of her mind of things that could be. Of the dangerous word, "tomorrow" and that unpredictable bitch called time.

Tru passed her fingers through Alice's blonde strands of hair and felt her heart ache. No one could promise tomorrow. They could only hope it wouldn't tear them apart. In the meantime, Tru hugged Alice closer to her and ground her teeth against the fear building in her chest tightening her throat.

She thought of that terrible day, so many years ago, when a policeman had come to get her from school, and told her that her parents had died. That she was alone in the world.

The following weeks had been a blur of pain and numbness as she was carted away to Cornwall, to her drunk aunt and workaholic uncle’s home, and the years of hatred she had endured. She had never made a better decision than to run away at 15 years old.

She shut her eyes and felt her nose burn as tears filled her eyes. She was grateful for them but also resented their appearance. Alice pressed her cold nose against Tru's neck, leaning her head on her shoulder. Tru felt her sigh and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

 _'I love her.'_ She thought. She felt lost and afraid and small and filled with a burning happiness that lit her up from the inside. It hurt. God it hurt, but she loved her anyway. It was worth it. Worth the pain, the tears, worth everything to be with her.

Alice smiled and the lines at the corners of her eyes creased.

Tru smiled back and murmured, "You have smile lines."

"What?" Alice frowned, then went pink, realising what she meant.

"People call them 'crow’s feet'," Tru ran her thumb against them. "But they're wrong. They happen in the places where people face change to smile most often. They're beautiful." Alice leaned into Tru's hand and kissed her palm softly.

"I love you." Tru murmured, watching Alice closely.

Alice froze for a second and looked up, something like awe in her eyes, and tenderness. "Oh Tru." She whispered. "I love you very much."

Tru kissed her then, pressing their bodies together, needing to feel her, to make sure she was real. That she wasn't leaving. She wanted to drown in Alice's arms, in her lips and the taste of her mouth.

 _'Oh, yes, drowning.'_ She thought as Alice tilted her head to deepen the kiss.

 

***

 

The next two days went by in a blur of laughter, gentleness, and fun.

Tru taught Alice how to make boeuf bourguignon and Alice showed Tru how to make her apple pie. They took a basket of food down to a picnic spot Alice knew on the bay and sat in the watery sunlight huddle in blankets, watching the waves roll in an out.

They spent a good deal of time holding hands, and touching and kissing as much as they could manage, at home, in the car, on the stone beach.

The last night of Tru’s visit came around both she and Alice were tense for the whole evening, trying to enjoy their time together but knowing it would end all too soon.

Tru woke up that last morning and wished it weren’t her last day so badly she wanted to cry. And she did a little. Alice was already awake but she hadn’t gotten out of bed. Tru’s train was at 11:30.

Alice saw that she was awake and took Tru’s hand in her own. She smiled weakly, before swallowing hard. She blinked a bit and Tru watched as her eyes began to water involuntarily.

“I told myself I wouldn’t cry.” She chuckled. “I’m just being silly. We’ll see each other again soon.” She whispered into the quiet morning. Tru didn’t smile back.

“We can’t keep doing this to ourselves Alice.” Tru murmured and watched as Alice’s eyes widened with worry.

“I mean, this long distance thing is hard, for both of us.” Tru said, trying to appease her.

“Do you want to…stop?” Alice whispered, going white.

“God no!” Tru exclaimed a bit more loudly than she’d meant to. “God, no Alice. I wouldn’t give this up, if it meant I had to fly to China every month just to see you.”

Alice lifted her eyebrows and couldn’t stop the smile forming on her mouth. Then she laughed and said, “China?”

And then Tru began to laugh with her. She scooted closer to Alice in bed and wrapped an arm around her waist. “China.” She replied with a grin.

“Oh Tru.” Alice sighed, sadness filling her voice again. “My darling Tru.” She brushed a few dark strands of hair out of Tru’s face.

Tru shut her eyes and pressed her forehead to Alice’s. “I’m going to miss you so much.” She heard Alice whisper.

Tru said nothing but hugged her gently with the arm still draped across her waist.

“We should live together.” Tru said, without thinking.

“What?” Alice’s voice was shocked, disbelieving.

Tru looked up into Alice’s face. “I can’t stand not being with you.”

“You what?” Alice repeated, her expression, incredulous.

“I want you in my life Alice.” Tru continued. She didn’t know how to stop, or so it seemed. The truth kept spilling out of her mouth and it felt like the most right thing she’d done since she’d arrived on Alice’s door step. “We have to live together.” It seemed so obvious to her now. It just made sense.

Alice sat up and starred down at her, her mouth slightly open in shock. “Are you—” paused. “Are you serious right now?” she said, as though she were worried Tru was joking.

Tru nodded and said, “Dead serious.”

“But we— we’ve been together for barely 3 months.”

“Yeah. We have.” Tru said and sat up to come face to face with Alice’s concerned expression.

“People don’t just move in together after three months.”

“Some people do.” Tru replied and leaned back against the head bored. She picked up Alice’s hand and kissed her palm softly. Alice’s gaze warmed and a slow smile touched her mouth.

“You’re crazy.” Alice murmured, still smiling. “Completely crazy.”

“So I’ve been told.” Tru chuckled.

“Where would we live? You have your job in Toronto. And I have my volunteering here.”

“Do you want to stay here?” Tru asked surprised.

“I—” she paused taken aback. She frowned thoughtfully and looked out the window. “No. Not really.”

“Well then?” Tru asked lifting her eyebrows. Alice smiled and shook her head. “You are such a bad influence on me.” She murmured affectionately and Tru recalled their nightcap on Alice’s last night in Toronto. She smiled too then.

“Good.” Tru said with finality. Then she saw the time and said, “We’ll have to hammer out the details over the phone. I need to get ready to leave soon.”

Tru made as if to get up and Alice grabbed her arm and pulled her in for an unexpectedly passionate kiss. Tru sighed against her mouth and cradled Alice’s head with her hand as she pressed her back against the head board. She broke away after a long moment.

“I could get used to that in the morning.” Tru said echoing Alice’s words from a few days ago.

“Maybe I’ll give you the chance to get used to it. In Toronto.” Alice murmured mischievously.

Tru smiled and then stood up to get ready to leave. Her bad mood had lifted almost completely, now satisfied in the knowledge that she would see Alice again. Sooner than either of them had expected to.

 

***

They stood on the train station platform, looking into each other’s faces, and once more Tru felt a stab of longing in her chest at the thought of getting on that train and leaving Alice.

She had been repeating to herself in her mind for the last two hours, _“I will see her again soon, I will see her again soon, I will see her again soon.”_ But it hadn’t really helped. It just reminded her that she was leaving Alice even for just a few months.

It was a strange feeling to Tru. She was not used to needing people in her life. Alice had changed all that for her. She’d come in to her life without a so much as a by your leave and forced Tru to re-evaluate how she wanted to live her life. And Tru would forever be grateful for it.

Alice wrapped her arms around Tru’s waist, not giving a damn if anyone was looking and held her tightly. She lay her head on Tru’s shoulder and sighed when Tru wrapped her own arms around Alice in return.

Tru shut her eyes against the sudden burn in the back of her nose and the tightening sensation in her throat. She didn’t want to cry. If she started to cry Alice might cry too and she didn’t want to have that happen.

Snow started to fall around them, from the heavy grey clouds above. Tru looked up and Alice did too. “Just when you think you’ve seen the last of the damn stuff…” Alice murmured and clucked her tongue.

“It doesn’t snow as much in Toronto.” Tru said, watching Alice’s expression closely. She didn’t want to push her into this. She had to be sure. There was no room for regret, or mistakes here.

“You right it doesn’t, does it?” Alice said approvingly. “But I don’t really need another reason to move there. You’re all the reason I need darling.”

“You’re sure?” Tru asked, her insecurity rearing it’s ugly head just then. What if Alice was only saying yes to placate her? What if she didn’t want to move, really? Would she regret asking her to live with her? Tru tried to push away those worries but didn’t quite manage it.

“Yes.” Alice whispered. “Yes I’m sure. I love you Tru.”

Tru lost her breath then. She could see it in her eyes. She was sincere. There was no doubt, no second guessing. Alice wanted to be with her.

Tru kissed her gently, ignoring the stares of passerby’s. She focused on putting all the love she felt for the woman in her arms into her kiss. Alice gasped quietly against her mouth and kissed her back, just as intently. Then the train horn blew and Tru pulled away, clenching her jaw.

Alice handed her, her duffle bag and Tru smiled weakly.

The wind had picked up a bit and the snow kept falling around them. Alice took Tru’s hand and pressed her face into it, kissing softly.

“I love you Alice.” Tru said, simply. She could only hope Alice could hear the intensity of the emotions rolling through in her voice.

“I’ll see you soon darling.” Alice said, trying to smile, but not quite succeeding.

“Soon.” Tru repeated in agreement. Then she let go of Alice’s hand and headed for the train doors without looking back.

-THE END

**Author's Note:**

> Author's note: I am a notoriously slow updater. You have been warned.


End file.
